Here, the Psalmist is declaring that he's up early in the morning and late at night, spending his time in prayer.
Have you ever laid awake in bed in the middle of the night with thoughts racing? When I was in seminary, I struggled mightily with anxiety, and I'd be awake at 2.30 in the morning thinking through various catastrophes. It was great. (Actually, it wasn't great.) I don't think I'm alone -- we've all been awake in the middle of the night, or unable to fall asleep, or waken early with racing thoughts, with big questions and fears and uncertainties.
The Psalmist reminds us of a better way to spend those hours. Rather than be awake and worry, we can be awake and pray. Rather than let our anxious mind rule our hearts, we can use the Psalms to calm ourselves, to arrest those worried thoughts, to let the assurances of God speak to our hearts and minds. We can use that time to pray, to pour our anxieties out to God and to be assured of the promises and presence of God in those times. If you don't know the words, start reading the Psalms, and they give us the words, teaching us to pray, day by day.
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